Reviews: Martin, George R.R.

Dying of the Light —
George R.R. Martin

1977’s
Dying
of the Light was
George R. R. Martin’s first novel. While this novel is set in the
same Manrealm as a number of Martin’s other stories1,
this is a standalone. You don’t need to have read the other works
to understand this one. This isn’t volume five of some interminable
fantasy series.

Centuries
after the collapse of the Federal Empire, the human worlds are still
recovering. Fourteen of the more isolated, backward worlds
collaborated on an ambitious project: terraforming the rogue world
Worlorn as it passes by the giant star Fat Satan.

By
the time Dirk
t’Larien arrives on Worlorn, hoping to help a former lover, Gwen
Delvano, Worlorn’s Festival is over. Its path will take it past Fat
Satan and back into the lightless interstellar depths. All life on
the world is doomed.